The present invention generally relates to a protective mouthguard assembly for use in athletics and more particularly to a wishbone tether for remote attachment of a mouthguard assembly which permits unhindered movement of the tongue and lips for clear speaking while wearing the mouthguard.
A number of mouthguards currently exist in the art for protecting the teeth, gums, tongue and lips and for further reducing the chance of shock, concussion or other injury as a result of high impact collisions and blows during athletic competition. In general, mouthguards existing in the art can be placed in two broad categories: tethered and untethered.
Untethered mouthguards are commonly fabricated by the user applying the boil-and-bite methodology or by dentists who fit the mouthguard to the exact contour of the user's teeth. These mouthguards are manufactured in a single configuration. The mouthguard may also be trimmed to the correct size with a scissors to assist in comfortably forming the mouthguard to fit to the contour of the user's teeth and mouth.
In certain athletic activities, which utilize a helmet or other protective headgear, and in particular in high impact sports such as football and hockey, it is desirable for the mouthpiece to be tethered to the helmet, headgear, face mask or about the user's neck. The principal reasons are twofold. First, having the mouthguard tethered to the helmet or face mask eliminates the chance that the mouthguard will be lost or misplaced. Secondly and perhaps most important, a number of instances have occurred where the user inadvertently swallows the mouthguard as a result of impact or otherwise during physical activity. This can result in the user choking on the mouthpiece, thus causing severe injury or death.
The tethered mouthpieces that currently exist in the art are generally of a one piece construction comprising a moldable mouthpiece and an integrally formed tether strap constructed of the same material as the mouthpiece and extending from the forward end of the mouthpiece or mouthguard for connection to the helmet or the like. Tethered mouthguards also exist where the tether is removable from the mouthguard.
There is a principal limitation relating to presently existing permanent and removable tethered mouthguards. Because the tether straps are constructed of the same material as the mouthguards, the straps are generally quite wide in order to prevent the straps from inadvertently breaking. As a result, the straps are stiff and cumbersome and often have a relatively limited flexibility. These facts, coupled with the extension of the tether straps from the central region of the forward end of the mouthguard, make it almost impossible and surely difficult for the wearer to clearly speak during athletic activity which is common and necessary in sports such as football, hockey and the like. This speaking difficulty is caused by the obstruction of the tether strap prohibiting the upper and lower lips with the tongue to work together to pronounce and annunciate words clearly.
There is a need for a mouthguard assembly for use in athletic competition that will permit remote and selective anchoring of the mouthguard with a tether strap suitably with a quick release that does not hinder the lips, mouth and tongue to speak, but rather promotes clear annunciation while wearing the tethered mouthguard so needed in many athletic activities.